Technical Supplement 12 Public Utilities
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Local Development Plan 2030 Technical Supplement 12 Public Utilities September 2019 www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk/planning Technical Supplement 12 Contents Chapter 1 - Public Utilities Infrastructure 3 1.0 General Introduction Chapter 2 – Telecommunications and Other Utilities 4 (Telecommunications & Overhead Cables i.e. Broadband, Mobile, Electricity, Gas, plus Water and Waste Water) 2.0 Introduction to Telecommunications and Other Utilities 6 2.1 Policy Context 7 2.2 Telecommunications and Other Utilities Profile 13 2.3 Preferred Options Paper 18 2.4 Consultee and Councillor Engagement 19 2.5 Draft Plan Strategy Approach 20 2.6 Soundness 21 Chapter 3 – Renewable Energy 22 3.0 Introduction to Renewable Energy 24 3.1 Policy Context 25 3.2 Renewables Profile 29 3.3 Preferred Options Paper 33 3.4 Consultee and Councillor Engagement 34 3.5 Draft Plan Strategy Approach 35 3.6 Soundness 36 Chapter 4 – Waste Management 37 4.0 Introduction to Waste Management 39 4.1 Policy Context 40 4.2 Waste Management Profile 46 4.3 Preferred Options Paper 48 4.4 Consultee and Councillor Engagement 49 4.5 Draft Plan Strategy Approach 50 4.6 Soundness 51 Chapter 5 – Flood Risk & Drainage 52 5.0 Introduction to Renewable Energy 54 5.1 Policy Context 55 5.2 Renewables Profile 61 5.3 Preferred Options Paper 67 5.4 Consultee and Councillor Engagement 68 5.5 Draft Plan Strategy Approach 69 5.6 Soundness 70 Appendices 72 APPENDIX A – Natural Gas Availability in Northern Ireland APPENDIX B – Energy Providers for Mid and East Antrim APPENDIX C – Wastewater Treatment Works – Version 5 (November 2018) APPENDIX D – Broadband availability in Mid and East Antrim APPENDIX E – Applications for Wind Energy Development 2000 - 2018 APPENDIX F – Northern Ireland Planning Renewable Energy Statistics APPENDIX G – Evolution of relevant draft Plan Strategy Policies 2 Public Utilities Infrastructure 1.0 General Introduction Purpose of this document 1.1 This technical supplement brings together the evidence base that has been used to inform the preparation of the Mid and East Antrim Local Development Plan (LDP) 2030 draft Plan Strategy. It is one of a suite of topic based technical supplements that should be read alongside the draft Plan Strategy to understand the rationale and justification for the policies proposed within it. 1.2 This technical supplement builds upon and complements LDP Position Paper 8 which provides baseline information on public utilities infrastructure and formed part of the evidence base for the Preferred Options Paper (POP). It provides an overview of the regional and local policy context and the public utilities infrastructure profile of Mid and East Antrim. In addition, it demonstrates how the various strands of the evidence base have been considered in the formulation of Renewables, Flood Risk, Overhead Cables and Telecommunications Development, Waste Management and Wastewater policies in the draft Plan Strategy, including responses to the POP and ongoing consultee and councillor engagement. Planning and Public Utilities Infrastructure 1.3 The provision of a modern, reliable public utilities network is vital in supporting sustainable growth and encourages investment in the borough. Public utilities such as Telecommunications, Electricity, Gas, Waste, Water & the Wastewater network provide necessary services to society. They are vital as they provide the fundamental infrastructure for the proper functioning of our borough while their provision is primarily the responsibility of a number of government departments while more recently, the private sector is playing a greater role in their provision. 3 Technical Supplement 12 Chapter 2 – Telecommunications and Other Utilities 4 Public Utilities Infrastructure Contents 2.0 Introduction to Telecommunications and other Utilities (Telecommunications & Overhead Cables i.e. Broadband, Mobile, Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Water) 2.1 Policy Context 2.2 Telecommunication and Other Utilities Profile 2.3 Preferred Options Paper 2.4 Consultee and Councillor Engagement 2.5 Draft Plan Strategy Policy Approach 2.6 Soundness List of Tables and Figures Tables Table 2.1 - Neighbouring Councils Position on Telecommunications & Public Utilities Table 2.2 – Existing Water Supply in Mid and East Antrim Table 2.3 - Consideration of Soundness Figures Figure 2.1 - Electricity and gas pipeline Infrastructure 5 Technical Supplement 12 2.0 Introduction to Telecommunications and other Utilities 2.0.1 Modern telecommunications are an essential and beneficial element of everyday living for the people of and visitors to our borough. It is important to continue to support investment in high quality communications infrastructure which plays a vital role in our social and economic well-being. The importance of other strategic infrastructure to the region such as transport (including air and sea ports), energy and water is also recognised by Government. 2.0.3 Public Utilities are a set of services provided by organisations which are consumed by the public and provide the basic infrastructure for the proper function of society. They include electricity, gas, water and sewerage (also known as wastewater) services. These utilities are not only importance because of the service they provide to a functioning society, but they also contribute to the economic competitiveness of a region. 2.0.3 The provision of Public Utilities within the Borough is principally the responsibility of a number of Government Departments and Statutory bodies such as NI Water. The private sector is playing an increasingly important role concerning public utility provision while they are also regulated by bodies such as Ofcom and Ofgem. 2.0.5 This technical supplement brings together the evidence base that has been used to inform the preparation of the Mid and East Antrim Local Development Plan (LDP) 2030 draft Plan Strategy. It seeks to present issues and draws together the evidence base used in relation to the topic of Telecommunications and other utilities (Broadband, Mobile, Electricity, Gas, Water and Waste Water. It is one of a suite of topic based technical supplements that should be read alongside the draft Plan Strategy to understand the rationale and justification for the policies proposed within it. 6 Public Utilities Infrastructure 2.1 Policy Context Regional Policy Context Draft Programme for Government 2016-21 2.1.1 At the highest level, the NI Executive has set out its priorities in the draft Programme for Government (dPfG) 2016-21. Its overall purpose is to improve wellbeing for all, by tackling disadvantage, and driving economic growth. It sets out 14 strategic objectives some of which have implications for the delivery of housing and economic development at local government level. A key outcome of the dPfG is the connection of people and opportunities through infrastructure. This involves improving the provision of essential energy, water and telecommunications services. Regional Development Strategy 2035 (RDS) 2.1.2 The RDS is a spatial strategy and provides an overarching strategic planning framework to facilitate and guide the public and private sector development such as to secure sustainable patterns of development. It recognises the role public utilities can have in determining the economic competitiveness of NI and provides the strategic environmental context for the delivery of them. 2.1.3 The RDS sets out key policy aims regarding public utilities. These are contained within Regional Guidance (RG), in particular RG5, RG9 and RG12. 2.1.4 Regional Guidance 5 (RG5) - ‘Deliver a sustainable and secure energy supply’ promotes the contribution that renewable energy can make to the overall energy mix. It outlines the requirement for a significant increase in all types of renewable electricity installations and renewable heat installations to meet the region’s energy needs, including a wide range of onshore and offshore renewable resources for electricity generation. It also encourages the provision of new gas infrastructure alongside gas storage which would contribute positively to the security and reliability of future supply. 2.1.5 Policy RG5 also highlights the need to strengthen the grid, together with a necessity to integrate heat and electricity infrastructure alongside new road infrastructure development. Finally, RG5 also recognises that new generation or distribution infrastructure must be carefully planned and assessed to avoid adverse environmental effects, particularly on or near protected sites 2.1.6 The objective of RG9 is to ‘Reduce our carbon footprint and facilitate mitigation and adaptation to climate change whilst improving air quality’. RG9 seeks to promote grey water recycling and advocates for a precautionary approach to development in areas of flood risk using the latest available flood risk information. It also promotes that development in areas, even those outside flood risk areas, should incorporate the use of SuDS 2.1.7 The objective of RG12 is to ‘Promote a more sustainable approach to the provision of water and sewerage services and flood risk management’ points to the integration of water and land-use planning. It suggests that land use planning should be informed by current water and sewerage infrastructure and future investment programmes. The policy also directs that future water demand should be managed to reduce water consumption, with consideration given to the inclusion in developments of measures such as grey water recycling and rainwater harvesting. Finally, the policy seeks to encourage sustainable